Coffee House Shots

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Ministers react to Donald Trump's latest interventions in the war Russia-Ukraine conflict. And Zack Polanski is unapologetic in his reaction to the Green Party's 'Zionism is racism' motion.

Produced by Joe Bedell-Brill.

Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more S...

This week, The Spectator hosted a debate on the motion: This house believes Britain no longer has free speech.

Chaired by The Spectator’s Assistant Editor Isabel Hardman, the debate saw former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie and women’s rights campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen propose the motion, with former Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Sumption and politician and commentator Ed Vaizey arguing against it.

In this episode, ...

With the Budget fast approaching, is Labour about to pick a fight with the City? Could a new bank tax help John Healey plug the fiscal black hole – or would it risk damaging one of Britain’s most successful industries?

Meanwhile, the SNP party conference in underway in Aberdeen, and John Swinney is once again talking about Scottish independence. But could Andy Burnham pose a threat to the SNP's hold on Scotland?

...

As Andy Burnham rolls out the red carpet for Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street, he has publicly sided with Kyiv against the Trump administration, days after the US President called for Zelensky to be replaced. Noa Hoffman is joined by James Heale and Tim Shipman to weigh up the politics, and to ask whether Ed Miliband’s desire to be seen as a saviour over Israel-Palestine has backfired, with friends of Jonathan Powell, the...

After last night’s botched coup against the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, and a rather temperate Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons today, James Heale is joined by Isabel Hardman and Tim Shipman to review the events of the last 24 hours.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more...

The IMF has upgraded its forecast for UK growth – but is the good news all it seems? Michael Simmons explains why the assumptions underpinning Britain’s economic outlook may be far shakier than they first appear, as the government prepares for another difficult Budget.

Meanwhile, a new YouGov poll puts the Conservatives ahead of Reform. Is Kemi Badenoch finally beginning to turn the tide – and has the Tory strategy...

On this episode of Coffee House Shots, James Heale and Tim Shipman examine claims of Russian interference in the Brexit referendum. What do we actually know about Moscow’s attempts to influence the vote – and did they make any difference to the result?

Plus: they discuss Andy Burnham’s foreign policy, Labour’s plans for a reset with the EU and Nigel Farage’s latest attempt to put migration back at the c...

For this special edition of Coffee House Shots, economics editor Michael Simmons hosts a panel from Conservative Party conference on Britain’s growing NEETs crisis: the hundreds of thousands of young people not in education, employment or training. He is joined by shadow education secretary Laura Trott, the CBI’s Megan Bulford, Spectator commissioning editor Lara Brown and the CPS's Daniel Herring.

Why are so many yo...

Labour has held Holborn and St Pancras in the first major electoral test of the post-Starmer era – but what does the result tell us about the state of the left?

James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman and More in Common’s Luke Tryl to discuss Andy Burnham’s appeal, Zack Polanski’s problems and whether the Greens have already missed their moment. Plus: are the Conservatives beginning to squeeze Reform, and is two...

What does it take to become a successful political leader – and are Britain’s politicians getting the training they need?

At Conservative Party Conference, Michael Gove was joined by former deputy PM Thérèse Coffey to ask how Britain can develop politicians fit for the future.

The conversation was organised in collaboration with the Institute for Government and was chaired by director of the IfG Academy, Vicky Elliott.

Be...

Kemi Badenoch has just delivered her conference speech, bringing Conservative Party Conference 2026 to a close.

She very nearly almost announced the inheritance tax policy many had expected – instead beefing up the Tory offer to homeowners with a pledge to abolish inheritance tax on the family home. Beyond that, it was relatively light on new announcements: Kemi could hardly be accused of ‘policymaxxing’.

What was c...

James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman, Michael Simmons and Lara Brown from the second day of Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. They discuss shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith’s pitch for a low-tax, low-regulation economy, Kemi Badenoch’s new ‘Britannia Shield’ defence proposal and whether the Tories are starting to recover some confidence. As Kemi seeks to assemble a more credible frontbench team, t...

James Heale, Tim Shipman and Tali Fraser record live from Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. As we pass the two year mark of Kemi Badenoch's leadership of the Tory Party, the panel discuss whether she has done enough to win voters over and whether the party is ready for an early general election. Did Kemi miss a trick in not pressuring new Prime Minister Andy Burnham for one – and could Kemi survive an election defe...

Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.

Andy Burnham wants to scrap the pensions triple lock, and he's reopening the Brexit debate.

Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk

James Heale is joined by Tim Shipman and Liam Halligan, Telegraph columnist and the new director of the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS), to look ahead to Conservative party conference, which kicks off today. Kemi Badenoch’s latest attempt to draw clear dividing lines with Andy Burnham was through a tougher welfare offer aimed at the under-25s – as exclusively revealed by Tim in the Spectator this week. Will this, alongs...

James Heale reports from Green Party conference in Brighton, joined by More in Common’s Luke Tryl and Noa Hoffman. After a year in which the Greens appeared to be challenging Labour on the left, has their momentum begun to stall – and how much of that is down to Zac Polanski himself, compared to Andy Burnham winning progressive voters back to Labour?

They discuss the tensions within the Greens’ increasingly bro...

Suella Braverman joins Tim Shipman to discuss her new memoir Patriot, from growing up with imposter syndrome to her battles inside the Conservative Party and eventual defection to Reform. She reflects on immigration, Brexit and patriotism, her clashes with Rishi Sunak, and explains why she believes she could never work with the Tories again.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast with...

Tim Shipman has interviewed Kemi Badenoch ahead of Tory party conference this weekend. In the interview, the Conservative party leader exclusively reveals the Tories plan to ban benefits to under 25s who have never worked before. For this special episode of Coffee House Shots, here is an extract from the Spectator's Edition podcast, where Tim sat down with the Spectator's Lara Prendergast and Angus Colwell and the Telegraph's Poppy...

Andy Burnham delivered his first conference speech as Prime Minister in Liverpool yesterday, promising a sweeping expansion of public services and a fresh look at Brexit, to warm reviews from the hall. Patrick Gibbons is joined by Isabel Hardman and Claire Ainsley, Sir Keir Starmer's former director of policy, to weigh up what was promised and how the party is taking it.

Produced by Henry Lloyd

Become a Spectator subscriber today...